Takin' the Pop out of Rock

Dude, Seriously?

noreply@blogger.com (purplhz) — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 20:53:00 +0000

After a limited amount of thought and zero soul searching, I've decided to expand my scope to include all of the stupid shit that happens in my life. Sometimes funny. Always annoying.

This goes out to those people that don't take life too seriously. You're the ones I can go have a beer with and don't give two shits about what I'm wearing.

That's actually a bad example because I have a slight lean towards metrosexaulity if that's even a word?

Anyways I think you get my point. Unless you're really stupid, well then lucky me for hanging out with stupid people. Ugh.

Where was I? Oh yeah. Easy going people. Check. Like to have a good time. Check. Don't take themselves too seriously. Check. Ok got it.

I don't have a ton of hang-ups, other then the socially acceptable ones.

Not many things left that are socially acceptable to hate: smokers, Justin Bieber, men in cutoff jeans, mullets (unless you play hockey in Minnesota, then game on!), asshole drivers (plenty more on that to come), any New York sports team, people posing in the mirror at the gym.

Ok I take it back, yeah I have my hang-ups, but the beauty of my opinion is I never feel like I'm wrong. Like I said to my daughter today 'If the stereotype fits, don't blame me'.

And for those that do take life too seriously, please keep reading. I might have a thing or two to say about you <Insert manical laughter>.

More to follow.....

Why do we have Christmas songs?

noreply@blogger.com (purplhz) — Fri, 21 Dec 2018 23:10:00 +0000

Alright....so as you know I like music. Fairly obvious. But why the hell does everyone and their brother need to sing Santa Claus is Coming to Town or any other Christmas song ever written?

F*****g hate it. Yeah he's coming to town. Got it. Blah blah blah. Just doesn't do it for me. Doesn't move the needle, but it does make me want to purge the last three weeks of candy, cake, beer and booze from my bulging belly. My God. Just shut the f**k up. Change the channel.

Maybe that could be my holiday diet plan. After every meal, slap in Charlie Brown and presto!

And of course all of my family loves it. Figures. Ugh.

Since we last spoke

noreply@blogger.com (purplhz) — Wed, 09 May 2018 00:41:00 +0000

And I am back baby! And with best Rick Flair wooooo! Let's get this started again.

I'm here to keep it real and kick it old school.

Where to start? Let's see...

We got a new puppy and his name's Gillie. I'm probably impartial but he's awesome! Whenever I throw on some old school Cure, INXS or New Order he starts shaking his rump. But he also does that too when I Jay-Z or Dre so maybe he just likes to shake his rump?

Or is that a twerk? Can dogs twerk?

Anyways.....
The Bruins won their 1st Stanley Cup in 40 years. 'Black Betty wham-bah-lam!'

The Pats have won what seems like every Super Bowl since 2009. Cue the Crazy Train and the duck boats!'

I'm a little older. Well maybe a bunch. Not much wiser. And a lot more bitter. Still hate people, because they suck.

There's probably a country song in there somewhere. 'I hate my boss because he sucks. I hate people because they suck. My car broke it's a piece of crap. Blah. Blah. Blah.' One of the more misunderstood genres for me. Right up there with the Boss. Get it. People appreciate it. Just don't quite get it. That's more than enough talk about country. I fucking hate country!

So that brings me back to Springsteen. I just dont get it. And I know it's just me because whenever it's brought up I'm like Tom Hanks on an island with a big ass beard and talking to a volleyball. Or maybe I'm missing a chromosome or something. He just doesn't move the needle for me. Who knows maybe it will click some day? I'm not a complete pessimistic SOB, am I?

Dick sure can pick 'em

noreply@blogger.com (purplhz) — Tue, 08 May 2018 23:19:00 +0000

As I often do when I start a new adventure I take a bite. Typically it's a really big bite, the kind you see when you go to the all you can eat buffet in Vegas type bite. Get a huge mound of food and start shoveling it in. Grab some more king crab and some more egg rolls. Ok where the hell am I going with this?

This brings me back to Dick. And his picks. Dick is smart. Dick is witty. Dick is good. And he sure can pick some Dead gems.

The Dick I speak of is Dick Latvala. And he began releasing Dead archives in '93. And he released 36 volumes.

And of course, like the sadistic idiot that I am, I'm plowing through them all. In succession. And my headspace is blown. Wide open.

The Dead for me typically comes with the season's passing from winter to spring. Dust off those shorts, tshirts and sandals, roll down the windows and turn it up. I'm through 10 picks and another 26 to go.

You want me to do what?

noreply@blogger.com (purplhz) — Fri, 27 May 2016 17:26:00 +0000

So my doc tells me I should start the SCD diet. Give up sugar he says. Give up starch he says. Give up fried foods he says. Will make me feel better he says. Eat more fruit and vegetables he says.

Let me step back for a moment and introduce myself. I am Jeff. Lover of beer. Lover of all things ice cream, and yes that includes frappes, shakes and possibly even a good parfait if there were chocolate chips or hot fudge on top. Oh, and sweets. You know Snickers, Kit Kat and everything else you get at Halloween.

But, my crown jewel, is all things caffeine. Coffee, espresso, cappuccino, Red Bull, Monster. All delicious. Yum. All right. Back to it......

Are you f****n kidding me!! Oh man I can't do that! Give up McDonald's, donuts, cakes, pasta, muffins, rice! Seriously? Yeah OK doc. You're a quack!

Wait.

What did you say?

I can eat how much bacon?

Well......maybe I'll give it a shot.

And then I went to the grocery store. Turns out I can't eat a damn thing in this place! I'm completely surrounded by all sorts of delicious treats that I would not be able to eat. Ahhhhh! Again- are you f****n kidding me!

So I make a special trip to a hoity toity, all natural food, Birkenstock wearing type of market. The kind of place you're more likely to smell weed in the parking lot and see an impromptu hacky sack circle form. I mean some serious hippy s**t!

So I'm cruising the aisles thinking this won't be too bad. Kale chips? Done. Instead of Lays, Doritos, Funyuns? Please. Kale chips baby!

Edamame pasta instead of the delicious kind that my wife and her mom make?Pffft. Easy!

Some frozen paleo bread that I can just pop out of the freezer any time I want and make myself a delicious bacon, ham and pork sandwich? Done and done! My god how easy is this gonna be?

And then the day of reckoning comes. I take the paleo bread out of the freezer to go with the eggs I just scrambled up. Eggs instead of donuts? I mean it's not like I love donuts (insert eye roll and picture of Homer Simpson).

OK so back to the bread. Eggs cooked, almond butter ready to roll, toast needed a few seconds in the microwave to thaw, pop those suckers in the toaster, slap some almond butter on them, and take a bite.

*munching sounds and a little prayer that this bread won't suck*

The verdict?

Disgusting.

I'm talking I wouldn't feed this s**t to my dogs and I know dogs who eat real life s**t! It was horrible! How do people eat this crap! Oh my God! It smelled horrible too! Maybe it was because I toasted it and released the demons in the process?Swing and a miss.

Oh well. I tried, right? Stepped way out of my comfort zone and tried something new. Awful. I'm ready to step back into my comfort zone!

So, while trying to remain the positive guy I am (insert eyeroll again) I decided 'hey, what if I take out two slices,let them thaw and try again tomorrow.' And aside from almost stabbing myself in the abdomen while trying to separate the slices, I would definitely consider this move a success.

I mean this is some serious 'Win one for the Gipper' type stuff where you're done by six with seconds remaining and pull victory from the clutches of defeat scenario.

And then the next day comes. Dogsh*t! Worse than the day before. I mean there was definitely some trepidation based on yesterday's failure, but this was terrible!

And my lovely wife, who pretty much eats anything, for once in her lifeagreed with me!

That was the final straw. Wait. My daughter tried it and didn't think it was that bad? We'll have to examine that opinion later. She might be out of her mind!

So based on my random stream of consciousness, I am prone to skip around a bit.

With that said, let's continue.

If you're going to jump into the SCD diet you need a plan. Not a fly by the seat of my pants type of plan. A plan.

How will I deal with lunch and dinner, or the random last minute concert invite?

And they say pimpin' ain't easy?!? Hey- try living without Taco Bell and get back to me!

But then I get to thinking.......doc said I should lose about 20 pounds if I'm doing the diet the right way. Hmmmmmm. Let's see. I'm almost 45 and my metabolism is terrible. I could probably stand to drop a few pounds to get ready for bikini season. And to add insult to injury, my wife has no qualms about telling me I need to lose a few pounds.

Me: Hey honey what do you think about this new shirt I bought?

Her: Would look better if you lost a few pounds.

And just like that, my self esteem blown up like one of those clay shooting ducks.

Ahhhhh. Is this a sweet life or what!

To all those 20 somethings out there a 3% body weight. I have some unpleasant news for you. HA! Enjoy it because it won't last!

Trust me I know. I used to be one of you. We'll maybe not 3% but I digress.

I used to be the guy who could practically muster up a crohn's flare on demand and drop a quick 10 pounds. Got a big date coming up? Snap of the fingers and boom! 6 BM's a day and I'm off to the races. The problem was that the shut off valve wasn't always as accommodating.

Captain's starlog dated 29 March 2019:

Ok....so another random entry with many random thoughts!!

So I started to think about my last 24 hours and here's a play-by-play. Man I fell off the truck. Stay tuned...

Easy Listening

noreply@blogger.com (purplhz) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 19:19:00 +0000

Just settled in for Phish at the Worcester Centrum aka the BCNtrum 11/30/97.

Been a while since I've listened to this gem. But then again every show from this tour was epic in its own way. Really can't find a clunker. I've seen this tour called 'Phish destroys America '. Yup they do.

Known for the 58 minute Runaway Jim to start the second set. Seatbelt is fastened and my tray is in its upright position!

Supergroups

noreply@blogger.com (purplhz) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:14:00 +0000

Well it’s been a busy year for supergroups, and I’ve definitely had a pretty big taste of Supergroup Stew this year. Many people I talk to don’t particularly like what feels like a new phenomenon. For the most part I disagree. And I have some evidence to back up my findings.

Oysterhead
Consisted (past tense, unless you hold out hope they’ll get back together) of Trey Anastasio (Phish), Les Claypool (Primus and 100 other bands) and Stewart Copeland (the Police).

As far as I’m concerned, this is the ultimate jamband supergroup. For my money, Les is one of the best bassists around. I’ll take him any day to back my rhythm section, but then on top of that you add Stewart Copeland?!?! Stewart Effing Copeland?? My god! Legend. And then the cherry on top is Trey? Wow.
In my mind they didn’t disappoint. The live show was fun and entertaining. From what I recall I couldn’t stop watching Copeland. Just a real good time. The album stays in the rotation and gets an occasional listen. Some huge Les/Primus influence. Not that that’s a bad thing!

Overall Grade: B/+

Chickenfoot
This might be the most blatant, hey I lost all my cash when the market went to shit, cash grab of them all. Chad Smith (Chili Peppers), Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony (Parts Unknown) and Joe Satriani (one of the best guitar shredders of all time!) teamed up for an album release and a small venue tour, followed by an amphitheatre run.

I was able to see them on the first leg of their US run at the Middle East downstairs in Boston. I think they had about 5 live shows under their belt at that time. If you haven’t been to the Middle East, the place is about as big as my basement. Only it was packed with Marshalls stacks. I was actually scared for my hearing when I walked downstairs. But having an opportunity to see Satriani up THAT close? Once in a lifetime. Well worth the $30 I ponied up.

The album was alright. Paint by the numbers rock. Nothing mind shattering or that original.

Final Verdict: Sammy and Michael? Cash grab. No doubt. Chad Smith? Most likely partying and passing the time until the Chili Peppers get back into the studio. Joe Satriani? Not really sure….

Overall Grade: B- (the venue saved them)

Dead Weather
Jack White is one of my favorite current musicians. No doubt about it. In my mind he’s one of, if not the best, song writer and musician going.

With Dead Weather he changes it up. He’s behind the drum kit instead of on lead guitar. First time since he was like a teenager. But not to worry. The band has plenty to offer.

Allison Mosshart from the Kills provides an amazing front woman presence. Definite punk background there. Rounding out the group are Dean Fertita (Queens of the Stone Age) on guitar and Jack Lawrence (the Raconteurs).

Album verdict? Yummy. Really enjoyed it. No surprise it’s a mashup of the Stripes, Raconteurs and, from what little I’ve heard the Kills. It was essentially confirmed in a Rolling Stone interview with Jack White recently that there is a new album in the works. Look for a spring 2010 release.

Live? Phenomenal energy. Allison Mosshart did not disappoint. Jack Lawrence was steady as he goes. I did feel as though Dean Fertita was playing like Jack White was looking over his shoulder. He probably was. About halfway in he seemed to loosen up. Jack White was a pretty steady rudder for the band. Not bad for a lead guitarist willing to take a risk.

At just over an hour it was a tad bit short for me. Definitely felt as though they needed another album under their belt to carry a live show.

Overall Grade: B (points off for a short live show)

Them Crooked Vultures
This has been Dave Grohl’s wet dream for years- to play with Zeppelin! Oh wait…..this is only part Zeppelin.

I bring you John Paul Jones (if you need an introduction please stop here, go to your favorite record store and get every Led Zeppelin CD available, and call me when you’re done) Dave Grohl (some bands called Nirvana; Foo Fighters) and Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age aka QOTSA) who for the time being are together under the name Them Crooked Vultures.

I saw them recently at the House of Blues in Boston. All I knew about them at the time was what I could find on YouTube. From what little I could see there I could tell that there was a nice energy, and a tremendous sound. Some definite potential.

Well that was confirmed and then some. I left the HOB after about 90 minutes completely impressed and ready for more. Not bad for a band I had never seen live or even really heard before. They were that good.

Their debut (not sure if there will be more?) came out November 17th. I have a buy recommendation out for all of my clients. It's a fun rock album with some interesting sounds and arrangements.

Overall Grade: B/+

Hear My Train a Comin’

noreply@blogger.com (purplhz) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:05:00 +0000

No need to worry, that’s just the sound of Phish barreling down the highway. Again.

Fresh off their successful 3 day run at the site of the Coachella Festival in southern California, Phish just wrapped up their first fall tour since 2000.
More please. I’m officially a Phish junkie.

Unlike some of my fellow long time listeners I feel as though I can listen with an open mind. Is this vintage ’92-’95 or ’96-’98 we’re hearing? No. Not quite. Yet. But it’s still pretty damn good. Best jamband out there. Not even close.

What I’ve heard on the Fall tour and the end of their summer tour is that they’re getting their musical legs back. Especially Trey. I felt as though on parts of the the 2009 summer tour, Trey was the little brother running down the street trying to catch up with his older brothers. Page and Mike definitely came back ready to retake their place as the best jamband this side of the Grateful Dead.

And they appear to be doing it a different way- they’re having fun again. I don’t profess to know every single nugget about the band, but it seems like they’re enjoying each other’s company. And it shows with their recent performances. I can’t imagine what mental and physical toll you put your body and your band’s relationship through while on the road. And if you have your wife and kids in tow, then that just adds another dimension.

For those of you that just want to bitch and complain that Phish 3.0 sucks, stay the F off the internet and stop going to shows. Seriously. More tickets are available for me, and less idiots for me to deal with when I do go to a show. Because you know what, who else are you going to follow? Dave Matthews Band? Go have fun with that.

Because when you’re rubbing elbows and sharing a keg stand with all the frat dudes at a Dave show, I’ll be the narc in the parking lot rolling a fattie with the smelly hippies. And hanging out with some guy in Portland that looks just like the rocker dude from Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and he’s wearing nothing but a blue robe. In the front row. In November. Now that’s funny! True story.

My god I must have 100's of stories like that. Need to do a braindump on that. More later....

Guns n' Roses to tour?!

noreply@blogger.com (purplhz) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 02:45:00 +0000

That is no misprint my friends, or some drug induced title. Wow. Talk about a traveling circus. And what an amazing train wreck that would be! Great theatre. The rumors I’ve seen so far are of a tour in Canada, eh! And now South America. Notice no mention of the music? Yeah, that’s intentional.

Have you bought, listened to or stolen a copy of the long anticipated Chinese Democracy? Full confession. I bought it. Yep. I slapped down my $9.99 like a card carrying member of Gn’R nation. My first reaction was disbelief. As if I couldn’t believe I put my ears through that. I felt as though I owed my ears an apology. It’s an absolute mess that’s so far over mixed it should be illegal. I think I get what Axel was going for? I think. But there’s way too many layers here that make my ears want to barf.

It just makes me wish that I was a fly on the wall for some of the mixing sessions that dragged out for what seemed like 10 years. Just seeing Axel Rose, that neurotic S.O.B. losing his mind over the smallest detail would have been worth the price of admission. Now THAT’S a reality show I’d watch!

Zep II

noreply@blogger.com (purplhz) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:15:00 +0000

Big weeks for birthdays. Happy 40th Zep II!! Yeam, um, not much to say here. Track list says it all. Turn it up and wake up the neighbors!

Whole Lotta Love
What Is and What Should Never Be
The Lemon Song
Thank You
Heartbreaker
Living Living Maid (She's Just a Woman)
Ramble On
Moby Dick
Bring It On Home

Make Layne proud, or else!

noreply@blogger.com (purplhz) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 01:00:00 +0000

With Alice in Chains' long awaited release Black Gives Way to Blue, they have done just that.

I can hear the doubters on the web “They’re just trying to replace the late Layne Staley” or “I can’t believe they’d carry on without Layne”. Well, before you blanket this release with a negativism, take a listen. You’ll find that it’s pretty damn good. Is it classic Dirt Alice in Chains? Nope. Does it stand alone, and is it good enough to carry the Alice in Chains name? Definitely.

Alice in Chains needs a specific type of singer that not only compliments their broody, dark approach, but can also carry it. Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce William DuVall. His tone and approach is very similar to that of the late Layne Staley. Is it a coincidence? Maybe so. Maybe not. Could Arnel Pineda, the replacement lead singer of Journey carry this band, not only with this release but also their catalog? Ummmm. Yeah. Probably not. But this new combination works. And in my opinion it works very well. Sample "Check My Brain", "Last of My Kind" or "All Secrets Known" and tell me you don’t hear AIC? Yeah, that’s what I thought.

Now stop reading this and go out and buy it! Seriously.

Happy Birthday Pretty Hate Machine

noreply@blogger.com (purplhz) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:39:00 +0000

A day late. Sorry Trent! 20 years ago yesterday Nine Inch Nails released Pretty Hate Machine. 20 years. Damn I'm getting old. Long before Limp Bizkit, Korn, Linkin Park et al were doing their "I did it all for the nookie" thing, along comes Trent Reznor with this mish mosh of hard rock, industrial rock, and for good measure throw in some goth and there you have it. And I gotta say, what a freakin' masterpiece! I gave it another listen today. Still relevant. Still edgy. Still very angry! Definitely stands the test of time.

It's a shame NIN faded into the sunset a few months ago. Reznor called it quits from touring. I've heard some of the farewell shows. My lord. Top of his game.

My only regret is never seeing NIN live.

Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio? Did you take Bon Scott with you?

noreply@blogger.com (purplhz) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:57:00 +0000

I might be going off the plantation a little here, but I absolutely love AC/DC. Let me qualify. OLD SCHOOL AC/DC. A good friend of mine calls Van Halen audio Red Bull, and if you think about it, let it sink in you’ll find yourself saying “Abso F’n Lutely!” You get extra credit for saying it while throwing the metal salute. Points off if you're saying "Huh"?

Well, AC/DC for me is Jolt. A little dirty, a little raunchy, a little more trailer trash, but equally as good and satisfying. Try it sometime when you need a lift and you’ll find Bon Scott’s booze induced wail coupled with Angus Young’s rock strut will take you to the place you need to be.

I’m convinced Bon Scott and Keith Moon were nursed from the same mother. That immense sense of reckless abandon is mind boggling. According to the death certificate he died from Acute Alcohol Poisoning and Death by Misadventure?!? Who the hell dies from Death by Misadventure??

(For the record, Brian Johnson-led AC/DC doesn’t exist. Just a figment of your imagination. With the obvious exception of Back in Black. Damn that’s a masterpiece!)

Are these guys gonna win the Pulitzer Prize for such masterpieces as ‘’Big Balls’’? Please. But if you need a pick me up throw on Dirty Deeds, High Voltage, If You Want Blood You’ve Got It or Highway to Hell and get back to me. You’ll be glad you did. Give me a call when you’re done and I’ll have a smoke and a shot ready for you!

The day the music died….and nobody cared

noreply@blogger.com (purplhz) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:47:00 +0000

For those of you waiting on pins and needles to see if Oasis will reconcile their brotherly spat and get back together, wait no longer. They’re done. Yep the band that brought us such memorable hits as “Champagne Supernova” are history. Finis. And I say good riddance.

I thought these guys were supposed to be on par with the Beatles? Just reading that makes me laugh. Oasis is better than arguably the best songwriting duo in history? The coffee hasn’t kicked in yet, or I might just be too lazy right now, but I think their first release is the highest selling album ever in England?? Or was that the Arctic Monkeys? Hmm. As far as I’m concerned they were about as relevant as Bush. They cut out a nice little niche in the mid nineties with a few alternative (that word gets sooooo overused) hits and have been holding onto that success ever since. Thirty years from now they’re a speed bump in the history of Rock n’ Roll.

While I’m on the topic, what is it with brothers and keeping a band together? And yes, I’m looking straight at you Chris and Rich Robinson from the Black Crowes!

Now here’s a band that should take out an ad on the back of a milk carton because they went from vital in the early nineties to completely irrelevant today. How does a band go from the tops of the charts with Shake Your Money Maker to completely no fanfare when their new release Before the Frost...Until the Freeze came out? It came out about a month and a half ago. Never heard of it? Thought so.

Some may argue that they’re a perfect candidate for the ‘'Quit While They're Ahead’’ award. Think Boston. And I’d say yes if it wasn’t for their sophomore release Southern Harmony and the Musical Companion. This is the height of their talent and then went to shit from here. Take a listen. I hear a nice blend of southern blues and a fun lovin' party vibe that fits nicely into the jamband genre. Put them on the same bill with the Allman Brothers, Widespread Panic, Dave Matthews Band, etc and it works. But where did they go from here? Bad songwriting? Crappy management? Bad karma? Kate Hudson effect? Not sure.

Don't call it a comeback!

noreply@blogger.com (purplhz) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 18:19:00 +0000

Yeah that's Right L.L. Cool J, don't call it a comeback!

One of the most influential bands of the last 20 years is back after a few years hiatus. And I have to ask, "Where's the press?" Hmmmmm. Haven't seen any.

If this was Springsteen or Bono, my god, they'd be on 60 minutes or sitting down with Bob Costas just blabbing about it! (For the record I think Springsteen's overrated and the Rolling Stone giving U2 5 stars for their new album? Really. Did I miss something? Smells of a rubber stamping to me.)

Yeah, you guessed it, I'm talking about Phish. Heard of them? The band that will headline, not only one, but 2 nights of Bonnaroo, currently the biggest summer music festival this side of the Atlantic.

The band that I have the 75/95 rule for? Phish at 75% is better than 95% of the bands out there! Still haven't heard of them?

The band that flooded the major highway in Vermont with over 30 miles of traffic just to get to their last weekend "together"? Still not ringing a bell? How about now?

The band that Dave Matthews, Blues Traveler and Widespread Panic need to thank for putting them on the map! still no?

The best jam band since the Grateful Dead? Am I getting warmer Rolling Stone?

Well, they kick off their world domination this weekend. You've officially been put on notice!

Those that should've quit while they were ahead

noreply@blogger.com (purplhz) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 13:43:00 +0000

Recently I was listening to Boston's debut album and I starting thinking, "This is an amazing album" . No fluff. Every song has its' place. And every song rocks from start to finish.

Well, then I start thinking, what the heck happened to them after their impressive debut? Don't Look Back and Third Stage? Ouch. Well, as my mind sometimes wanders into places unknown, I start to think about other bands who may have had a similar fate: solid debut but then fall off the map after that.

I offer up my list my list of bands who have fallen prey to killer first album/lousy follow-up(s)

1. Guns N' Roses: They drop Appetite for Destruction, arguably one of the most influential rock albums of the last 20 years; full of angst; "dirty Sunset Strip rock'' as I like to call it. It's the type of rock where you lock up the women and children and hide the sheep!

This album could also be traced back to be the one album that may have put the first nail in the hair band coffin, and contributed to the grunge and rap/rock revolutions. Yeah, pretty heavy stuff.

I was a Sophomore in High School when it came out and it was like getting hit by a freight train......and then follow-up with Gn'R Lies; Use Your Illusion I & II, etc, etc. Nope. Not even close. I must admit that I'm a huge Gn'R fan. I own all of these albums. Heck, I even bought Chinese Democracy! That's for another time....

2. Boston: They bring us Boston. I was very close to switching #s 1 and 2. I actually gave Gn'R the edge based upon historic value. Let's just take a step back and take a look at this impressive debut.

More Than a Feeling
Piece of Mind
Foreplay/Long Time
Rock & Roll Band
Smokin'
Hitch a Ride
Something About You
Let Me take You Home Tonight

Wow. What else is there to say? And then they come back with ......Don't Look Back and Third Stage. Umm.....No further questions. Defense rests.

3. Van Hagar: This one took a little research, but with a little help from my friend Al Gore and the internets I present.....5150. The debut from the new Van Hagar lineup. This album I think resembles the the attitude that Van Halen brought us in the 70's, and provides a bridge to the prevalent sounds of that time. After that, they brought us such memorable albums as OU812 and For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge. Thud.

4. Buckcherry: Solid debut. Dirty L.A. rock is back! Oh wait..did I just hear them on Kiss 108 sandwiched between Beyonce and Taylor Swift? Dammit!

5. Wolfmother: They actually DID quit while they were ahead. Literally. Their drummer and bassist recently left the band! This choice is actually a speculative choice because I can't imagine them topping their debut.

It's actually nice nice formula for success- throw in some Deep Purple and Zeppelin stadium rock and add a dash of ELP and sorcery and wizard imagery. Fantastic debut album. We'll see what the revamped lineup brings us.

Are the Killers making themselves extinct?

noreply@blogger.com (purplhz) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 13:19:00 +0000

In one word- DEFINITELY. Now that I’ve gotten that out of my system let me explain…..

You can count me as a fan of Hot Fuss and Sam’s Town. I’ve read some not so flattering thing about Sam’s Town. In many ways I actually think it’s a better album. I think it’s a nice progression from Hot Fuss; shows some maturity without completely blowing up the nice little niche that they built which includes a current Pop/Rock feel with an 80’s Depeche Mode and Erasure flair. I actually think Brandon Flowers might be one of the better singers out there.

Ok. Fast forward to what happened after Sam’s Town. Apparently they had a bunch of material leftover. So, hey, let’s make a B-sides, leftover material album and call it, ahem …Sawdust? The name should’ve been a dead giveaway because I think the only thing sawdust is good for is making wood pellets. I wish ITunes had a money back option because I’d have a credit in my bank account.

After Sawdust they overdosed on too much Depeche Mode, Talking Heads, Bowie, etc. because, as far as I’m concerned, they lost their way. That little flair of the 80’s has now come front and center, and I’m not impressed. Their newest release, Day and Age, is just littered with this new approach and when you throw in some lounge acts tunes like ‘Joy Ride’, I again want a refund.

I saw them recently in Boston, and I can honestly say it was one of the worst shows I’ve seen in a while. Sound mixing was terrible; they were way too loud. I felt like I was watching a hack band in the old part of the Vegas Strip. The band looks like a mix of Bowie impersonators and The Gladiator extras. Well, if I’m Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), I’m giving them the big thumbs down and feeding them to the lions!

And now I read that they’re planning a covers album? Thank god ITunes has an auto-preview feature…..

Trivia Time

noreply@blogger.com (purplhz) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:54:00 +0000

According to Wikipedia, aside from Van Halen, Pearl Jam, U2, Dave Matthews Band, Staind and Metallica, what other rock band has three #1 albums in a row? STOP. ANSWER BELOW.
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Disturbed. Yep- I bet bet you got that one, right?

I must say that I am a fan and they probably should've been included in the artists you haven't heard of (or heard) but need to.... list. Well, I'm officially giving them honorable mention. Shame on me for the oversight!

The Sickness and Believe, in my humble opinion, are fantastic hard rock/metal albums. I find The Sickness to have a little more raw, metal edge to it. Believe dulls the metal blade just a hair, but still brings a ton of head banging, fist pumping anthems for my liking.

As an aside, I find absolutely humorous that we always need to find a label for bands How the heck do you give a label to Phish, for example. Sure, they play a majority of rock straight ahead rock, but they dive pretty heavily into bluegrass, border on country, and can on occasion throw in some funk. Oh, let me guess. Rock? Maybe?? Sorry. Getting back into character.

The Power Ballad

noreply@blogger.com (purplhz) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 16:54:00 +0000

Growing up I was stuck with the paint by the numbers tunes WBLM in Portland, ME was playing. Def Leppard, Whitesnake and Ratt to name a few. Aside from the hair products and jean jacket patches, 80's bands also brought us the first over the top, cheesy power ballads.

Poison (I admit I’ve seen them 3-4 times live) could be just ripping through their set, but when Brett Michaels reached for his acoustic, the lights went down except for that lone spotlight, and he started belting out ‘Every Rose Has Its Thorn’, every Bic from Boise to Boston would light up the place. I’m actually amazed arenas weren’t burned to the ground given the level of drunkenness and combined number of brain cells at any given show. Everyone was doing it. It was like the plague, from Skid Row’s ‘I Remember You’ to Tesla’s ‘Love Song’ and the Scorpions ‘Wind of Change’. Winger’s entire existence was a power ballad!

The trend continues today with such wonderful tracks like Creed's 'With Arms Wide Open', Guns N' Roses' 'November Rain' and just about anything Staind puts out these days.

I file the power ballad under guilty pleasure. Makes you remember certain times in your life and hopefully makes you smile, but it’s something you’d never admit to. Oh crap.

Chris Brown= Marked Man?

noreply@blogger.com (purplhz) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 20:41:00 +0000

To make matters worse for Chris Brown, apparently Rhianna's part of Jay-Z's posse and he's pissed. I don't know about you, but when I hear Jay-Z saying I'm a walking dead man, I might have trouble sleeping at night.

I don't condone that sort of behavior, but if turnabout's fair play, I wonder how Chris Brown would look with contusions to his face, a cut lip, bloody nose and bite marks on his arm and fingers? Yep, the dreaded bite marks on arm and fingers.

The Grammys- Part II

noreply@blogger.com (purplhz) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 18:01:00 +0000

Another sign that I might need to move to another planet.....

According to LiveDaily.com: "One of the strongest performances was, however, by the unlikely pairing of Stevie Wonder on keyboards/vocoder and the Jonas Brothers for "Superstitious"."

Are you &$^%%# kidding me! The only appeal the have Jonas Brothers have is for a Marketing 101 class. Follow me here.....How do you take a no talent, moderately attractive looking band and make them famous? Attach them to Disney. Just add water. Done! 6-13 year old girls will eat this up!

Strongest performance? Wow. I just threw up in my mouth. Christina Fuoco-Karasinski must be getting kickbacks from Disney. If anything, I felt bad for Stevie.

5 artists you haven't heard of (or heard) but need to....

noreply@blogger.com (purplhz) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:22:00 +0000

This is a list of some bands that are a little outside of mainstream that I feel have a lot to offer, depending on your preference. I welcome your comments.

1. My Morning Jacket- I put them first because of their live shows. It puts them over the top. If there's any doubt, check out the New Year's 2008 or 2008 Bonnaroo performances. Wow. They've definitely moved towards the front of the jam band class.

2. Gov't Mule- Guitarist Warren Haynes might be the hardest working man in music. If there's a summer festival going on, chances are he's there either solo or with his band in tow. He's playing with the Allmans at the Beacon run in NYC and he'll be on tour with the Dead this year. Sick guitarist. Keep an eye out for him and his band. You won't be disappointed.

3. The Derek Trucks Band- Derek's uncle is Butch Trucks, one of the founding members of the Allman Brothers. Nice pedigree. One of the best slide guitarists I've seen or heard. Take a large slice of the Allman Brothers, splash in some African beats, blues and gospel. Mix it up in a blender. Tasty.

4. Avenged Sevenfold- part metal, part goth, part rock. all parts good.

5. Robert Randolph and the Family Band- Take Sly and the Family Stone, give him 20 cups of coffee and stick him in front of a pedal steel guitar. Spin him up and let him go. Yeah, I'll have some of that.

Coldplay? Really??

noreply@blogger.com (purplhz) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 03:10:00 +0000

If Coldplay wins another award tonight I swear I'm putting my size 10 1/2 through the plasma. Ok, let's not go that far, but c'mon. There's nobody else out there more deserving of a grammy?? Kid Rock?? The Foo?? The Raconteurs?? Radiohead?? Have the people that vote actually listened to any of these albums?

Kid Rock has steadily transformed himself from the dead and buried rap/rock mash-up, stone stone cold pimp of the nation, to arguably the best rock, southern rock, country, rap singers out there. I'm all in on Kid Rock. And the love goes way deeper than 'All Summer Long'. Fantastic album. Just go buy it and hopefully you'll understand it.

The Foo Fighters are one of the bands out there that I feel are probably more appreciated by those in the business. For Exibit A, see Dave Grohl's performance with Sir Paul McCartney. Their newest release shows a nice progression, and completely blows me away. Love it.

Jack White of White Stripes fame continues to assert himself as the Bob Dylan of our time with his 'side project' the Raconteurs. They show some amazing depth on their Sophomore release, Consolers of the Lonely. Another solid buy recommendation. You won't be disappointed.

I must admit I wasn't a huge fan of the new Radiohead release when I first heard it. To me they're an enigma wrapped inside a mystery or something like that. I may need to give it a re-listen after seeing them with the USC Marching Band tonight.

I guess where I separate my self from a lot of the pack out there is I don't expect Dave Grohl to be putting out Nirvana retreads at this this point. If he was he probably wouldn't be in the business. But let's not go too far, and that brings me back to Coldplay. Way too far off the plantation with their new release. I love an artist that takes a risk and steps out side of their mold, as long as it's good. This one- just not good. And I actually mostly enjoy their first three albums.

And yes, I did expect Sir Paul to jump out of his seat and slap Chris Martin out of his Sgt. Pepper ripoff suit with Heather Mills' leg. Now that's an award show!

Peace.....